


Their Next Greatest Adventure

by Rakuyou_Tenshi (Citrus_Luver)



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Body Worship, F/M, Female James T. Kirk, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Kink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-03
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2018-09-21 17:18:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9559367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Citrus_Luver/pseuds/Rakuyou_Tenshi
Summary: After two five year missions and with the Enterprise due for a long retrofit, Jaime Kirk decides she’s ready for her next greatest adventure.Motherhood…The catch…She doesn’t have a romantic partner, sure she has had a million sexual partners.  In fact, the only long meaningful but totally 100% platonic relationship she has is with her Bones.Or…The one where Jaime persuades Bones to be her sperm donor and how he says yes because he can’t say no to her since he’s been hopelessly in love with her for fifteen years.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt from the old Star Trek XI kink meme community on LJ found [ here ](http://st-xi-kink-meme.livejournal.com/11451.html?thread=11481275#t11481275).

Jaime Tiberia Kirk, in her thirty-eight years of life, had never expected or dreamt of this moment in her life.

If anyone asked her to describe herself or list her goals in life, this would never have been a word she thought she would use to describe.

A word for someone to call her.

But lately…

It was.

In fact, lately it was something that was constantly on the forefront of her mind.

However if anyone asked, she could tell them the exact day, time, and moment it happened.

It had started like a completely ordinary day.  

She was sitting in her chair.  A place she thought she would die in.  A place she had once believed the only way someone could remove her from it was when she was a cold dead corpse.

They were flying towards their next destination when the transmission came in.  

“Captain, for Commander Spock…”  She remembers the pause in Lieutenant Hawkins’ voice.  “From New Vulcan.”

She remembers how the bridge instantly falls silent.  The light chatter stops immediately.  In fact, it was so quiet, she was sure if a pin had dropped, she would have heard it.

Like everyone else on the bridge, she immediately turn towards her first officer’s station.  

There is no secret, no mystery of what the transmission is about.  They have  _ all  _ been waiting for the past ten months for this day.

The half Vulcan’s normally stoic face for a moment betrayed its owner.  She saw joy.  She saw excitement.  She saw even fear.

Because she was a decent human being, because she understand social structure she asked.  “Would you like a moment, Mr. Spock?” 

“I’ll take it here, Captain, if protocol allows.”

She waves her hand because fuck protocol.

_ This is big. _

“On screen, Lieutenant.”

And a second later, Sarek’s aging yet totally emotionless face appears on the screen followed closely by Perrin’s smiling, beaming face.  

Spock’s father and stepmother…

Like father like son, Jaime had thought amusedly.

“Father, Mother,” Spock greeted the pair.

“Spock.”

At the time, Jaime never understood how either side managed to keep their composure.

“At precisely five twenty two in the morning, Nyota has bore a healthy three point one seven…”

Jaime remembered rolling her eyes.  Vulcans and their love from precision.

“kilogram and fifty one centimeters long baby girl.”

She remembers letting out a loud whoop. She had blushed when both Vulcans turned to look at her.

“You’re a dad, Spock.” 

“I am,” and that…

That was the moment the world shifted.

The way Spock looked at her.  The look that made her realize that this was the end of Jaime and Spock.  That he wasn’t going to come back for another mission. That he was at peace.  That he had everything he ever wanted.  That he was embarking on his next greatest mission, and this time without her.

She doesn’t even remember what little Amanda S’chn T’gai looks until later when her picture appears at Spock’s station.

Later she’ll comm Nyota who will tell her how easy the birth had been.  How peaceful she felt when they placed Amanda in her arms.  How calm Vulcan babies are, that baby Amanda barely ever cries.

That she can’t wait until Spock meets her. 

She’ll remember Spock and Nyota asking her to be Amanda’s godmother.

But what she remembers is  _ that _ moment.

That moment when she realizes she wants it too.

She wants to be a mother.  

She wants someone to call her ‘mama’.

The one thing she had never dreamt would happen because for all her life, she had always believed she couldn’t, wouldn’t.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like kids.

She loves kids.

She loves her nephews.

She loves Demora.

She loves the dignitaries and advisors’ children that she has the chance to meet over the years.

It is just she never had the best relationship with her own mother.

Winona Kirk had left her two young children with her brother to chase starlight, to be closer to her dead husband.

Children and Starfleet captains do not mix.  She had always known  _ that _ .

And she was never going to abandon her child.

However it was ten years on.

She knows Spock isn’t coming back.  These last four months has been excruciating for her first officer.  Little Amanda had been a complete surprise and unplanned.  

Jaime had tried her hardest and had even cashed in a million favors to extend Nyota’s permitted stay as long as possible.

However when a hostile encounter nearly destroyed the Enterprise, none of them could justify Nyota staying on board.

Spock had stayed because it was his duty.

But now, the Enterprise was due for a long retrofit.  She could take a planetside or a space station posting until the kid was old enough.

She should be grateful.

She had more years in this chair than most of her alternate universe counterparts.

And that was when she knew…

She knew it was okay to give up the chair.

Except there was one problem.

She had never had a deficit of sexual partners.  As long as she wanted it, her bed was never empty.  Even out in space, she had her sexual partners.

But romantic partners, lifelong, baby making partners that was a different matter altogether.

She was bad at forming relationships.  A byproduct of her upbringing and living through the aftermath of the pain of forming such a relationship had caused to her own mother.

However, she similarly didn’t want to use the sperm from a random person.  That was too wrong, too strange for her.

Her mind immediately latched onto one name and really the only choice.

Leonard Horatio McCoy…

Her best friend…

Her confidant…

And the only man she could ever think of, of growing old together.  The only man she could see herself raising a baby with.

And it was definitely, totally 100% platonic.


	2. Chapter 2

_“Bones, let’s have a baby together.”_

So Jim hadn’t put it so bluntly, and she hadn’t waltzed into his office and dropped it like a bombshell like she does with most things, but the premise was the same.  Actually, by Jim Kirk’s standards, she had dropped it at him, slowly and easily.

It had been a week now since Jim had broached him with the topic and a list of all the reasons why it was a good idea.

The list is currently sitting on his desk glaring daggers at him.

It ranges from ‘we’ll be awesome parents’ to ‘we ain’t getting any younger’.

And the problem was Leonard couldn’t disagree with her arguments.

He doesn’t doubt Jim wouldn’t make a good mother.  He has seen her with kids.  She slips into the role like she was born for it, which is ironic considering her upbringing.

And they definitely aren’t getting any younger.  He’s already mid way through his forties and Jim is creeping towards her forties.

It’s also not that he doesn’t want a baby, especially with Jim.

Hell, for almost two decades, it’s all he really wanted.  

A baby with Jim…

Because he loves her.  He has loved her almost since the day she flashed her pretty blue eyes at him, gave him her name and started calling him Bones.  

Because of that, he can’t say ‘no’ to her.  He never has.  It’s why he’s on his second tour with her.  It’s why he learned to pilot a shuttle.  It’s why he didn’t say ‘no’ when she asked.

When logically and by all rights, he should and can say ‘no’.

Because as sure as he is that he loves her, and probably will always love her, he knows the sentiments aren’t shared.  Because after all these years, anyone who knows him, knows he loves her.

And he doubts she’s _that_ oblivious, which is why he never acted on it.

But _fuck…_

If he knows anything about Jim…

It's she’s determined.

And really he should have suspected something.

Because when he thinks about it, it isn't a secret that Jim hasn’t been getting dole eyes when she's around babies lately.

And then they is the thought of her raising a child that belongs to someone else…

_Fuck…_

It’s then that he _knows…_

He takes a deep breath.  He grabs the PADD with her list and leaves her office.  He nearly plows into Chapel on his way out.

“Doctor?”

“Going to see the captain,” he calls out.  Because he feels like if he doesn’t answer her now, he might never get the strength to say ‘yes’ again.  And of course, there is a chance he already waited too long, and she asked someone else.

Like Scotty or Spock…

He tries to shake _that_ image from his mind, of a little boy with pointy ears and Jim’s bright blue eyes.  

It’s ridiculous, but he does find himself walking a little faster and straighter onto the bridge.  

“Doctor?” Chekov breaks his reverie.  His eyes flicker over the room and land on Jim’s chair.  It’s empty.

“She’s in her ready room.”  Leonard thinks the kid can read his mind.  Then again he thinks warily if he says  _that,_ the boy would probably say he can and that it originates from Russia.

He nods and slips away.  “With Commander Spock,” he adds as an afterthought as Leonard steps back onto the turbo lift.

_With Spock…_

It’s ridiculous.

He knows it is.  

Even so, he walks a little faster to her ready room.

The door slides open before Leonard can announce himself.  He finds Jim and Spock standing together, a little too close.

They turn.  

“Bones,” she sounds startled.

Leonard suddenly feels ridiculous, but he can’t exactly escape now.  “Can I talk to you?”

Spock doesn’t move.

He is _definitely_ not having this conversation with Spock in the room.  “Alone,” he adds.

She nods.  “That’s all for now Spock.”

Spock nods and about faces.  Leonard waits as Spock slips away and for the door slide to close.  Jim cocks her head.  “You wanted to talk about something, Bones?”

The distance between them suddenly feels far and great.  

“Sit?”  She motions for the couch.  The one they have shared many times in the past while working deep into night on paperwork.  They have shared many flasks over the years on this couch.  They have shares many tears and laughs. 

And suddenly it does feel fitting for this to be where they start the next part of their lives…

_Their…_

It gives Leonard the courage to follow Jim’s lead, a lead he has followed for years.

“Yes.”

Jim blinks.  “Sorry?”

“I’ll do it.”

She twists her curls around her finger, a habit she developed since she grew out her hair.  “You have to give me more than that Bones.”

“I’ll be the father for your baby.”

And Jim smiles.  It radiates throughout her face from her eyes to her lips.  “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“You sure cause…”

“Yes.”  He stops her because he is sure.  

Because he loves her.

Because he can’t say ‘no’ to her.

“Wow, okay.  So how you want to do it, cells, the old turkey baster, or you want to do the deed?”  Jim wags her eyebrows.

Leonard almost chokes on his own saliva at that.

Because that is one thing, she has never asked.  

He knows her history.  He knows she isn’t a saint.  

But for better or worst, they have never taken their relationship to the ‘friends with benefits’ stage.

“Just kidding.”  She says it so easily, with an ease Leonard has never possessed.


	3. Chapter 3

Jaime is surprised how easily and fast Bones had agreed to be her baby’s father. 

She had expected it to take more work and persuasion.

But then again, when it came to Bones, he might grouse and complain, but it never did take much persuasion for him to come around to her side.

Even so she had been a little blindsided by his questions.  Of course he had questions.

Like the time scale…

She knows she isn’t getting any younger.

She is dreading that part.

And she knows baby making is all about the statistics, and the older she gets, the less favorable her odds are.

There is a little over six months left in the mission.  And the last few would all be in the safety of Federation space.  So that technically meant they could possibly even start trying at her next cycle.  She had her annual female wellness exam scheduled with Christine, and her birth control was scheduled to run out then too.  It had been one of th reasons they decided to move it up a month earlier for normal.

That had been something she had never gone to Bones for.  She knows Bones is a professional and theoretically he has seen her in every state of undress.

However he’s still her best friend, and there are some things she still rather not complicate in their relationship, and her female problems and concerns had been one of them.

She used to go get checked during layovers at space stations they passed; however, when Christine joined with a shiny new MD, it had made things easier.

And because she was going to be planetside, Starfleet would have no qualms about her going off of birth control.  It wasn’t like Starfleet was totally one hundred child unfriendly.  It just didn’t allow children on ships with long mission durations.

And she hadn’t signed on for another tour.

 

*************

 

“Well you’re in perfect health. 

_Naturally_

Bones made sure of _that._

“I noticed you decided to not renew your conception.”

_Sharp woman_

Not that Jaime expected anything else from Bones’ medical team.  

She decides to remain neutral.  There were no rules or regulations stating she had to remain on them.  

“Decided to try other options.”  Jaime states.  It comes out easily.  It’s not a complete lie.  She suddenly realizes she never asked Bones if he wanted the crew to know.

“Uh huh.”

There is a smile that is creeping up on Christine's face.  An impish smile that Jamie isn’t sure that she likes.

“Christine.”  She whines because damn it.

There is a gleam in her eyes, and that smile widens.

“It’s not…” She trails off.  Because it probably is what she’s thinking, or about that much.

Christine claps her hand over her mouth and let's out a little girlish squeal, like she isn’t a grown woman and talking with her captain.  “Sorry, captain,” she corrects impishly.

“It’s okay, Christine.”  Jaime smiles.  “Just…”

“Of course, patient doctor confidentiality.”  She even mimics zipping her lips shuts which causes Jaime to laugh.  She can’t help but smile, the thought of a baby growing inside of her and hopefully soon makes her all sort of happy.

She can’t wait to tell Bones the good news.

She doesn’t have to wait long.  There is only ten minutes left of alpha shift when she finishes her appointment.  She goes back to her quarters for a quick shower and changes into something more comfortable than her uniform.  

Bones is already at their customary table.  The small table for two in the corner they take when they aren’t in the mood for more company.

She collects her own dinner.  She passes the food that Bones deem to be unhealthy and artery clogging and takes chicken and a salad instead.

If all goes to plan, she’ll be eating for two soon.  She giggles a little which earns her a troubled stare from the lieutenant behind her.  She puts on her captain smile, collects a tall glass of orange juice and gets out of line.

Bones seems to be halfway through his dinner when she arrives.  He looks up at her and then down at her dinner.  She sees the workings of an eyebrow raise.

She pulls out her chair and sits down.  Because she can, she kicks him in the leg.

“What was that for?”

“You know what.”

“Infant,” he mutters under his breath.

It’s as good an opening as any.  Under hushed whispers, Jaime says “Chapel says Operation Cradle is a go.”

“Operation Cradle?” Bones repeats.

“Yeah, it sounded less obvious than baby or bun in the oven, or we could call it ‘turkey baster’.”

Bones holds up his hands.  “Okay, okay, I get the point.”  He takes a bite of his dinner.  “You watch way too many spy movies.”

Jaime cuts into her chicken.  “And who’s fault is _that_?”

Jaime isn’t sure how many people in the universe know it, but Bones is totally obsessed with spy films.   They have watched more than is probably legally permitted.

“Better than that rom com crap.”  

“ _That_ is totally below the belt.”

“You started it.”

“Real mature.”  Jaime rolls her eyes.  “I just don’t get why you hate them so much.”

“True love doesn’t exist.”  He says in that grumpy voice.  Jaime doesn’t know why but she feels her stomach take a dive.  She quickly shakes it away.

“Aww, I'm sure in this great big universe there is someone for you.”  She takes a sip of her orange juice.  She’s not sure why, but it suddenly tastes really bitter as bitter as the words she is saying.  

“Right,” Bones sounds just as bitter.

“Well,” Jaime smiles.  “You got me.”

“Great.”  Bones seems to stab into his dinner a little harder than normal.  

“I’m going to pretend you aren’t being sarcastic.”

“Sure darlin’.”  He dips into that southern accent that she kind of hates and kinds of loves all at the same time.

He twirls his fork between his fingers like he is thinking.  “You know we don’t have to keep it a secret.”

“Huh?”

She suddenly feels lost.

“The baby thing, operation cradle,” he says with as much dislike as he had when Jaime first started calling him ‘Bones’ all those years ago.

She breaks into a smile.  “Really?”

“Yeah.”  There is that fond look in Bones’ eyes again.  She can’t help but quickly look down at the food.


	4. Chapter 4

_Lush soft blonde hair..._

_Smooth pale white skin..._

_The faintest hint of lavender..._

_A pair of sparkling blue eyes..._

Leonard moans.

The word ‘Jim’ rides on the tip of his tongue.  His body shudders as his sperms spurts out of him and into the small container.  He collapses in on his himself.  His chest and face are bright red…

He feels guilty.  He has for years.  That his release comes the easiest while painting a picture of Jim in his mind.  

Of her face…

Of her skin…

Of her rosy red lips…

He quickly shakes those thoughts from his mind.  

She’s her best friend.

That’s all they will ever be.

He looks down the container.  It’s the fifth sample he has collected.

He grimaces when his chrono alarm goes off.  He has thirty minutes before he has to meet her.  

A dinner and then…

It had been Jim’s idea.  She wants it to be normal as possible.

_“We can’t tell the kid, he or she was made in a petri dish, Bones.”_

He takes a quick shower and changes into a pair of dark black jeans and a green collared shirt, the ones that Jim always said made his eyes stand out.  He checks that all the sample are secure in the case one final time before leaving his quarter’s for Jim’s.

It’s a short walk and turbolift ride to Jim’s quarters.

He buzzes for admittance because his mama taught him right.  He feels his breath catch when Jim opens the door for him.  

She’s wearing a deep blue low cut dress.  Her wavy hair, which she normally wears in a high ponytail or bun, is pooled around her low neckline.  She’s even wearing evening makeup.

She’s beautiful and glorious.

“Hey,” he says because his brain has stopped working.

"Hey yourself.  Come in.”  She beams at him.

Leonard feels his heart skip an extra beat.

He suddenly feels like he should have brought her flowers or something, and not a box containing his… well… sperm.

“You can set that there.”

It seems Jim doesn’t mind though.

_Of course she doesn’t._

A bitterness courses through him.  She’s only doing this for show, for the baby.  She thinks this is nothing different from before.  

_Because it shouldn’t be, Leonard._

_She only sees you as a friend._

_So stop it._

“Bones?”  She’s worried.  “You okay?”

“Yeah.”  He tucks his case to the side and puts on a smile.  “Famished.”

“Great.  Chef has already brought the dinner.”  She pushes back a strand of loose hair.  “Figure we should eat here and not cause any gossip.  Small ship, big ears.”  Jim adds because she _knows_ he’ll ask.

“Of course, darlin’.”  He says because they all know Jim is the biggest gossipers of them all.  

Jim has ordered them both platters of steak with a bottle of red wine.

It’s juicy and grilled just right that it melts in his mouth.  It isn’t until they are halfway through their meal that they say everything and nothing at the same time.  

The ease they had since back at the Academy.  The ease that Leonard has never felt with anyone else.

When they finish their dinner, Jim slips away into her bedroom.  He’s left alone on her couch.  

He leans backwards and sees the box.  The box that will both change their lives forever.  He takes a deep breath.

He can do this.

He can.

He wants a baby with Jim.

He does…

He pushes down that part of him. That tiny part of him that is crying foul, that he'll only get, but he shovers it quickly away.

It’s then that Jim calls out to him.  He gets up and picks up the box.

Leonard feels his breath catch when he enters her bedroom.  She has lit a few candles.  He doesn’t even know how she smuggled those on the ship.  She has changed her bed set into a set of lush red satin.  

“Bones?”

He turns towards the sound of her voice.  Her golden strands of hair are loose and flows freely across her back.  She’s changed into a lacy blue nightgown that matches her eyes.  

He suddenly feels uncomfortable.  

His pants suddenly feel incredibly tight.

He thinks he needs another shower.

A long cold shower...

“Ready?”

“Ye… yeah.”  He manages to choke out.  He watches as she settles on the bed. She moves around to get comfortable.  The bed squeaks.  She wrinkles her nose.

It’s enough to bring Leonard back to reality.  “Not as good as the holovids?”

“Something like that.”

She shifts again before settling down.  “Ready.”

Leonard nods shifting into his doctor mode.  

He readies a long syringe.

“Christ that’s a lot.”

“Yeah, well it’s all about the odds and numbers.”  He says as evenly as he can manage while he empties another container.  

When he’s satisfied, he lubes up the diameter of the syringe then turns to Jim.  “Ready?”

“Yep.”  She nods.

He makes sure to go slow as he enters her.  She makes a tiny grunt.  He looks up.

“Go on.”  She says.  He nods and slowly depresses the plunger.  

They don’t say anything.  He makes sure not to look at her as his sperm enters her.  

_His sperm…_

He thinks warily of the irony of all of this and pushes it aside as he watches the syringe empty out.

“That's it.”  He pulls back from between Jim’s legs.

Jim creaks her nose.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Leonard raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything.  He really needs that long cold shower.  He’s saved enough of his water rations that he can too.

He hastily packs away the equipment.  

The syringe, the empty containers…

Jim lets out a long whistles.  “That’s definitely a lot…”

Leonard rolls his eyes.  

He catches her rubbing her abdomen.  For a moment he sees her swollen and big with a baby, his baby…

He shakes that thought quickly from his head.

_No…_

They are just friends, nothing more.  He goes back to packing up his equipment.

“You think it worked?”

“Maybe.”

Her eyes are sparkling when he looks back at her.  “There’s going to be a little you and me growing inside of me, Bones.”

He almost dumps the rest of the equipment back into his case.  “Stay like that for another hour.”  He gets up.

“You’re leaving?”  She sounds surprised.

“I got some experiments running.”  He quickly lies.  His face is a little red, and his pants are almost painfully uncomfortable.  

“Oh, okay then.”  She waves.  

It takes everything in his willpower to not to run out of her room.

After a long cold shower, he does go to one of the research labs and starts an experiment.

Chapel is there.  She gives him a _look_ , the look.  Like she knows what he has been doing.  He ignores her because he can.


	5. Chapter 5

Of course she knows the chance of success the first time around would be low.

But the tiny faint pink minus sign still hurts.

It’s been two weeks since that night.

She tucks the plastic stick back into its wrapper and drops it into the drawer with the rest of her collection.  

She knows Bones will agree to try again.  She smiles just thinking about her best friend.  His flustered look that night…

It brings a smile to her face.

_Bones…_

It is just that she had been so sure she is pregnant.  She had always been in tune with any changes to her body.

She draws her thoughts instead to the PADD containing her next assignment.  

On paper it looks simple.  They are to secure a mining contract for the Federation.  However, Jaime Kirk’s away missions are never simple.  Trouble seems to follow her wherever she goes.  Sometimes she truly believes that the T in her middle name really does stand for trouble.

She has gone over the assignment three times already in her head, but she knows she’s missing something because it still looks too easy.

She doesn’t have a chance to think about it a fourth time when her com goes off.

“Bridge to Captain Kirk.”

She depresses her com button.  “Kirk here.”

“We’re ten minutes away from reaching our destination, Captain.”

“On my way.”  She closes the files, tucks them under her arm and proceeds to the bridge.  When she arrives, Sulu has already commenced standard orbit procedures.  

It’s a lovely shade of blues and greens.

“Chancellor Advais has set over the beam down coordinates, captain.”  Hawkins states.  

“Good.  Spock, with me, Sulu, you have the con.”

“Aye sir.”

She turns on her heels and hears Spock following her.  The two man security team she has selected is already on the transporter pad waiting when she and Spock arrive.

They waste no time taking the two remaining pads.  “Ready Lieutenant,” she nods at the technician on duty.  Moments later she feels the familiar tingle of the transporter coming to life.

The next moment she finds herself in what appears to be a large throne room, almost an exact replica out of one of her historical fiction books.

The ceiling is tall, a wide expanse overhead.  It gives Jaime the feeling of being small and insignificant. She absently wonders if that’s the purpose to begin with.

The dark, mahogany, walls Jaime surmises are covered with wall length tapestries.  They show images of war and glory.  Jaime feels her stomach churn.  A sickening feeling overtakes her.

“Captain?”  

She doesn't know how Spock does it, but her first officer always seems to _know_.

“Nothing Spock.”  She fakes a smile as she pushes down the bile.  “We don’t all have Vulcan physique.”  She notices Spock’s eyebrow raise, but luckily a booming voice distracts them.

“Come forward, people of the stars.”

“Fascinating.”

Jaime can’t help the tiny quip of her lips. She and Spock proceed forward.  Their two man security team trail behind at a half pace.

“Captain Kirk.”

She is used to it by now.  It happens more frequently than she would like; however, this is the lot she has chosen for herself.

Fortunately, she and Spock have developed a system for situations like this.  A dance they have perfected as captain and first officer.

“Pardon the confusion.  This is Captain Jaime Kirk.  I am her first officer Mr. Spock,” Spock corrects easily.

Jaime sees the way the smile slides for the other’s face.  That too she is used too.

“Charmed,” the other finally say like it costs him, which it probably has.  Not all alien cultures are as accommodating of females in roles of power as the Federation is.  She has to remind herself of that fact frequently.

“I am Chancellor Advais, and this is our benevolent ruler King Xplantian.  We are most surprised the Federation wants enter into a mining agreement with us.”  He looks at his king who nods.  “We hope these discussions will be profitable for us both.”

“As do we,” Jaime smiles.  

“Come, let us retire to the drawing room where we may dine and talk.  I have heard it is a common thing for your species.”

Jaime notes the way he seems to talk past her.  Because she knows how important this contract is, she doesn’t say anything about it.

“We would be delighted.”

“Then come.”

They are led out of the throne room to a hallway that is just as glamorous as the throne room they have just left.  The chancellor walks ahead as Jaime and Spock follow a step behind with their security detail another step behind.  

It’s then that almost a sudden influx of what seems to be a thousand different smells bombards her olfactory all at once.  She looks around, mildly alarmed that even Spock doesn’t seem to notice.  

He does turn to look at her at that moment.

“Captain?”

“It’s nothing.”  She smiles.  However, at that exact moment, she suddenly feels sick. Her stomach churns.  She feels a surge of bile rushing upwards.  It takes all of her willpower to not throw up.

“Captain, are you certain you are alright?”

“Yes, carry on.”   Her stomach churns again.  

She must have eaten something that doesn’t agree with her.  

Everyone appears to be looking at her now.  She smiles at them through the waves of nausea and nods.  “It’s nothing.”

They turn away and keep walking.  

It’s not even a minute later when the wave of nausea intensifies.  She feels like a shit ton of bricks has come crashing down on her.  Her stomach feels like it’s been completely turned upside down.

She tries to hold it down.

She sees the worry on her men’s faces.

It churns.

Like a wave, a sea…

She can’t…

She looks around the hallway.  It’s bare, minus a large bowl in the corner.

She runs towards it.

She thinks she hears someone call out to her.  She ignores it as she bends down, and it all comes out.  It comes and comes.  It feels never ending as a mixture of reds, greens and browns pour all of her.  

In the far corners of her mind she thinks she hears yelling.  She chooses to ignore it as another wave courses through her body.  She bends down and throws up again.  

And again…

When she finally manages to stop, she still feels like crap.  Her entire sense of smell seems to have gone haywire.  The slightest change is enough to cause her stomach to churn and twist uncomfortably.

In between feeling like crap, she has managed to piece together that she has basically caused a galactic incident.  The bowl she has thrown up in seems to be a heavenly object of great importance to these people.

Which is now full of her regurgitated breakfast.

She doesn’t know what’s going to happen to them now.  She’s been separated from Spock and her men.  They refuse to answer any questions.  The only contact she has had with another living being was when an elderly woman came in, what she can only assume was an hour ago, and scanned her before promptly leaving.

They have taken her communicator, so she can’t even contact her ship.  She can only begin to imagine how worried they must be.

Her thoughts are interrupted when the door opens.  The elderly woman enters.

“You are with a child.”  She deadpans. It’s so devoid of emotion that Jaime thinks she could give Spock a run for his money.

“What?”

“With a child,” the woman repeats like she wishes she is somewhere else, anywhere but here.

“Stop, stop.”  

This woman can not be saying what she is saying.  She had just taken a pregnancy test prior to leaving for this mission.

It had been negative.  She remembers seeing the tiny pink negative sign glaring back at her.  However here, in front of her, this alien is telling her differently.

She can’t be pregnant.

Except she is…

The proof is right there in the woman’s hands.

_Her baby…_

_Her and Bones’..._

She wonders if this is what being on cloud nine feels like.  She’s released shortly after.  

It seems these aliens are lenient when it comes to areas of procreation.  She’s shown to a room where...

“Jim!”

Bones is.   He looks angry and annoyed.

He’s bitching and cursing and…

She doesn’t care.  She can only guess a large, loopy smile has appeared on her face.

It's enough for Bones to stop ranting for a second.  "Jim," she detects the apprehension in his voice.  "If they..."

She finds it cute but...

_Screw it..._

“We’re going to be parents, Bones."


	6. Chapter 6

“We’re going to be parents, Bones.”

She’s grinning.  She looks like she is radiating like the sun.

It’s not even the first time she has said that, nor the third.

It’s been nearly a month since they found out.   

Since Jim puked into a holy urn…

Later Spock tells them that’s part of the reason why they agreed so easily on the terms of the trade agreement.  It seemed some prophecy foretold of a maiden with a child puking into the urn as a sign of prosperity.

This is also how Spock finds out about it.

Of course, naturally, the crew knows before they even step foot back onto the Enterprise.  The grapevine never ceases to amaze Leonard.

There are cheers and offers of congratulations to Jim.  He smiles in the background watching Jim who seems to positivity glow.  

He doesn’t think he has ever seen her this happy before, not even when she was given reins of the Enterprise.

And somehow they return back to normal life.  Leonard wants to kick himself for thinking anything would change between him and Jim.

Jim is his best friend.

That is all she is and all that she ever will be.

He knows that, but there is still a tinge of almost bitterness to it all.

However, Jim’s pregnancy does bring a whole array of other changes.  Changes that takes Leonard time to get used to. 

The first and most obvious is Jim actively coming to med bay to seek help.  Something that she has never done before even when she’s in danger of bleeding out.

It’s also the first time Leonard finds himself unable to help her.  Her morning sickness are a real doozy. He offers her peppermint and herbal tea before sending her back to the bridge.

“Urg.” 

Jim looks up from the kidney bowl.  She’s pale and looks miserable.

Leonard definitely feels bad for her.  Bad that he did this to her, of course he knows that, that’s illogical as Spock would say, since she wanted this.  Bad that he can’t help her.

“There’s really nothing you in can give me, Bonesy?”  Jim asks for the hundredth time, not that Leonard is counting.  He draws circles over her back.

“Sorry darlin’.”  He really is. While there are morning sickness medicine he could typically prescribe, there is nothing he can give her that she isn’t allergic to.

Jim looks at him.  She looks like she wants to protest, but then she pales and she’s back to puking out the feeble amount of breakfast she has managed to get inside of her.

She raises her head and passes Leonard the offending bowl.  Leonard knows better than to not accept it. He takes it, discreetly dumps it out, before handing Jim the tiny bag of peppermints to get her thru the morning.

The next change is a pleasant change.  Leonard also knows it a little manipulative to pull it but…

“It’s good for the baby, Jim,” is all he needs to say to get her to change her lifestyle.  It’s all it takes for her ease up on her workout routine. While there is no doubt that are women who are pumping iron up until they go into labor, Leonard isn’t keen on Jim being one of those.

And then there is the another change.  One that isn’t directly correlated to Jim, but more because of him.  Because he’s too chicken to do anything. 

It’s the looks.

This change is the one that makes everything so difficult.  One he thought he was used to after all these years.

His secret… his best guarded so naturally Christine Chapel knows.  For years, she had tried to persuade him to tell Jim.

_What if she feels the same way?_

_You could wasting so much time._

It was later that Leonard learned about Roger, her fiancé who disappeared one day.  He had gone out on assignment with promises he would be back by the end of the month, that had been over a decade and a half ago.

The years they had lost because she wanted to be a certified nurse first before they got married.  

But Leonard wasn’t Roger, and Jim wasn’t Christine.

Jim doesn’t love him, at least not more than a friend.

He knows that.

He is okay with _that_.

But these new looks Christine throws at him makes everything worse.  Like she knows the other half of the baby’s genes are his.

And thus these changes become his new norm…

And Leonard slowly learns to deal with each and every one of them. 

Untill one day…

They are a month away from Earth, a month earlier than they had planned.

Jim is safely into her second trimester now, and the morning sickness has finally tapered off.

He returns from a long shift to find her on his couch in his shirt and boxers.  His shirt is riding up to reveal her belly. She seems completely infatuated by her growing belly and not the stack of PADDs on the table around her.

It makes him all hot and bothered.  

He thinks he needs another cold shower.

“Bones!”  She grins.  “Finally.”

He raises an eyebrow a little confused.  He doesn’t remember making any plans, not that Jim believes they need plans to hang out.  This isn’t even the first time he has found her in his quarters when he isn’t there. 

“I wanted your opinion.”

“About what?”

“Apartments.”

“Apartments…” Leonard repeats.  

“You know living quarters.”  Jim rolls her eyes.

“Living quarters.”

“Are you going to keep repeating everything I say?”

“Until you tell me what all this is about.”

“Where we’re going to live,” Jim says easily, like it is so simple.  “Well, until our next assignment of course. That why it’s apartments and not houses.”

“Live?”

“Yeah, Bones.  You, me and the baby…” Jim pauses.  She suddenly looks unsure. “You do want to live together right?”

_Live together…_

His mind suddenly feels like it’s going to explode.  While there might not be many boundaries and secrets between them, living together under the same roof isn’t something they have ever done.  

Sure, at the Academy, Jim had suggested it once, in passing. 

At the time Leonard, already too deeply in love with his best friend, had found a way around it.  He cited reasons like it wasn’t a good idea, that they might want space, that the medical academy and command academy were on opposite sides of the campus.  

To this day he remembers how hurt Jim had looked at the time.  It had almost been enough for him to tell her the truth.  It had been on the tip of his tongue when Jim smiled saying ‘that’s why you’re the smart one.’

That had been the first and only time Jim had asked him to room together until _now_...

Jim is still talking.

“I assumed you would want to be there?  I thought, and well… the first few years are…”  She’s stammering which isn’t typical Jim Kirk.  

Leonard finds this side of her just as endearing as the other side of her, the cocky, sure side.

He wants to say ‘no’.  His mind is screaming ‘no’, so he’s not sure how the words, ‘of course’ comes out instead.

And then Jim smiles that big gigantic smile before she grabs one of her PADDs.  “Great! So I was thinking of somewhere close to Medical and Command. With a nice daycare, four rooms so Jo can visit.”

_Jo…_

His daughter… his almost grown daughter…

His daughter who he hasn’t seen in years.

Jim stops talking and looks at him.  “You did tell her, right?” She asks accusingly.

“I...I will.”  He answers lamely.  

Jim gives him that look, the one that says, ‘seriously’, but she doesn’t say anything more about it.  Instead she goes back to showing him apartments.


End file.
